Gun loophole closed

The week's news at a glance.

Richmond, Va.

Two weeks after a gunman with a history of mental illness killed 32 people and himself on the campus of Virginia Tech University, Virginia Gov. Timothy Kaine this week signed an executive order barring gun sales to people who have been ordered to seek mental health treatment. A state judge had ordered Virginia Tech shooter Seung-Hui Cho to seek outpatient treatment in 2005, after he made suicide threats. But Cho was able to purchase the two pistols he used in the mass killings because under Virginia law at the time, only people who had been ordered into inpatient treatment were barred from gun purchases. Kaine’s order erases the inpatient/outpatient distinction.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us